Priceless Love
by SirCharlieOfStaines
Summary: Modern AU. Merlin is homeless, with nothing but the clothes on his back and the 2 dogs that mean everything to him. Morgana is wealthy, but feels empty when her half sister Morgause dies, leaving her with her nephew, Mordred, who she would give anything for to see happy again. When a boy and a dog collide (literally), all characters paths become interlinked and their lives change..
1. Chapter 1

Merlin woke up to the sound of the busy Saturday morning commute to work going on around him. It was only 8'o'clock, but the world had decided to set this noisy wake up alarm for him, so now he was awake.

_Lack of sleep's just what I need_, he thought to himself, groggily rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, before opening them to the sight of a blanket of red and white fur covering his legs as his companions, oblivious to the world, dozed on. Not wanting to wake them- not until it was necessary to exercise them in the park, which he would do later that day, before seeing if he could salvage a scrap of food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as was his life now- he leant back against the brick wall and surveyed his surroundings.

He wasn't so familiar with this part of the town, but after being kicked out of his last spot by a tough looking guy with a vicious looking mastiff he had little choice but where he was now, under the bike shelter by the park, _but, _he thought _at least they was dry and safe. For now. Who knows what the day will bring?_

Since he had run away, he had barely stayed in the same spot for more than a week before someone was on his back. But he had the dogs, and at this moment he was happier than he had been for some time. They had needed him, at first, but now he needed them. They were his support, his strength, his **_Life_**,and without them he was nothing.

He scratched their sleeping heads subconsciously, the action now so instinctive he didn't even think about it. Kilgarrah, the Irish red setter, had come to him first, running to him when his friend, the snowy white Aithusa, a Brittany, had fallen into a fast flowing river and got tangled in the branches of a water shrub. Merlin had, at this point, been sitting on the edge of the bridge above, thinking; He was at the lowest point in his life, only a couple of weeks after he had found himself alone AGAIN, and the only thought consuming his head was the one trying to find the courage to just jump, to just end it all right there, because he had had enough, he just couldn't take it anymore.

But, just as he had stood up, with the resolution that this was the only option he had, a dog tugged on the bottom of his trouser leg, with a desperate look in his eye, pulling him away from the side and towards his friend. In that moment the final bit of courage that Merlin had left vanished, and a new vigour entered him that made him follow the dog that was now pelting down the bridge to the edge of the river below, where a smaller white dog seemed to be caught up in some underwater shrubs, a fast flowing current threatening to drag her little body away as soon as she was freed. Merlin felt, right then, that if he could save this life, then his life could once more have meaning, and then, without a second thought, he took off his jacket and jumped into the river.

He smiled now, his mind back in the present day, thinking of what had brought this odd little trio together, and felt glad that he had gone with the animal he was now stroking fondly, as they had saved each other, and without them he knew he wouldn't be here right now.


	2. Chapter 2

_Beep Beep Beep_...Morgana rolled over to her other side, blindly reaching for the alarm clock she knew had to be on the sideboard somewhere, she just needed five more minutes, she hadn't slept properly since...

..._OH. The funeral_. It was finally here. She'd forgotten all about it. Or at least, she'd tried her hardest to. She pushed off the thick duvet that covered her thinning figure and struggled into a seated position. It was 8'o'clock, and the funeral was at 11, and she had so much to do between now and then. She had to get herself ready, physically and mentally, to say goodbye. And she had to get Mordred ready too.

Mordred, her nephew, was in one of the many guest rooms in her luxury apartment by the river Thames- she had placed him in the room nearest to hers, with the knowledge that this little boy who had been through so much might need her support in the days ahead, reminding him that her door was always open if he needed her. But the door had remained shut.

When someone has been put through hell, you expect them to change, but for her nephew the hell he experienced was considerably worse than what others might think of as their worst nightmares. This 8 year old child had been the one who found his mother, Morgause, when she, fed up with her depression and scared that this meant she couldn't look after her son properly, had electrocuted herself in the bath. Since then, this once bright, happy little boy had turned into a sombre, silent child, who seemed to trust nothing and nobody anymore, apart from the now strained bond he had with his new guardian. Morgana had been named in the will as his guardian, and despite her father Uthers insistence that he should be put in care because of his new, unsociable state, and the fact that in the first week she had looked after him, had seemed to turn into a zombie-like character that broke the hearts of everyone around him, she decided that she would do whatever it takes to hear him speak once more, to see him smile again. And, despite being incredibly wealthy, she knew it would take nothing short of a miracle to help mend his seemingly fragile heart.

But she knew that now was not the time to be thinking, she should be preparing. So she walked, almost in a trance, to the shower, where she begin methodically washing, scrubbing her stick like arms under the lukewarm water, her body not registering temperature, or much else, any more. She looked at her limbs, now so much bonier than they used to be, and knew that it wasn't like she didn't want to eat; she just didn't have to time any more, not with a child to look after. After showering, she sat down at the dressing table by the French windows that lead to the balcony before she brushed her ebony hair and carefully made up her face, careful to cover the bags under her eyes to make sure that she wasn't the one worried about today- today was supposed to be focused on her sister, and Mordred, and she wanted to keep it that way.

Quietly, she crept into her nephew's room, expecting him to be asleep, but instead found him sitting on the edge of his bed, which he had straightened to look like it had never been slept in, already wearing his black shirt and trousers. His usually unruly black mop of hair had been brushed to try and make it seem more presentable, and he was sitting with his coat and shoes ready to put on.

Morgana sighed; Mordred had had to grow up so quickly. It just wasn't right for a young boy at his age to be left so alone- alright, she had lost her mother at a similar age, yet she still had her father and Arthur, her half brother, to help her through it, but for Mordred, having lived with his mother quite far away, family connections were loose, and as for the boy's father, she had no idea who the hell he was, all of this meaning he didn't really have anyone, not any more. But that didn't matter to her, he was her nephew and she would help him, just as much as he would be helping her. She closed her eyes and exhaled a breath, before collecting herself and calling to Morgause's son- "Mordred, are you ready. It's time to go."


	3. Chapter 3

After the funeral, Morgana finds herself taking Mordred into the park next to the graveyard where they buried her sister, knowing that he won't want to play here- he never wants to play-but the park seemed to calm her troubled mind, and she hoped that it had the same effect on Mordred. As they walked through the park, Morgana stayed a few steps ahead of her nephew, knowing that he might want to be left for the time being, having been predictably forced into the spotlight for the last hour and a half. They walked in silence down the path that drew a line down the centre of the park for little over 20 minutes before they came to a rather...unexpected stop...

Merlin was in a daydream, wandering through the trees, humming a tune, leaving the dogs to get their exercise before families that had finished their lunches decide to come to the park with their precious little ones, and yell at Kilgarrah and Aithusa to get away from their children, because _"who knows what they might carry"_ or _"why do beggars have pets, anyway, when they can't even look after themselves?"_ When the park is fairly empty like this, the dogs can go wherever they want, because he knows they will come back to him, as they are loyal enough to do so no matter what.

After strolling around for what seemed like a minutes but had been in fact 20 he decided it was time to call the dogs back so they could go find some scraps for lunch. "Kilgarrah! Aithusa! Come!" A flurry of red streaked through the trees, grinding to a halt before his masters feet. But the streak of white remained to be seen. He whistled, a harsh, piercing note, knowing that this never failed to get either dog's attention. But still Aithusa didn't come.

Merlin started to panic now; the dogs were never disobedient, and they never strayed too far as to not hear his calls, so she must be in some sort of trouble. So master and dog started to run towards the clearing of the pathway, calling and howling as they went.

...Morgana started to talk to Mordred, asking him a question about lunch that she knew he wouldn't answer, but felt the need to ask anyway, when a blur of white raced past her side before running into her nephew and causing both to fall to the pebbly ground.


	4. Chapter 4

..."Mordred!" Morgana exclaimed, turning round to face her nephew who lay in a heap with a white ball of fur on the path. Concerned, she goes to shoo the dog away and help the boy up, but something stops her.

What stops her is the sight of the usually so morbid Mordred with a smile on his face, as he pets the little dog that had made him fall over.

As she watches with a strange, hopeful feeling in her heart that maybe Mordred wasn't completely lost, she notices a young, scruffy man run over to where she was standing, a red dog at his heel. The man looked underfed and tired, and both the dog running next to him and the dog by her nephew were in better shape than he was, looking better fed and cleaner than their owner. The man apologises for his dog, introducing himself, before calling "Aithusa."

But the dog stays with the little boy- dogs seem to be able to sense feelings, and at this moment in time she felt Mordred needed her.

So the two adults, aware that taking the dog away immediately could cause more harm than good- for both the seemingly emotionless but obviously overwhelmed child and the protective, perceptive animal- Morgana and Merlin strike up a conversation; Merlin is in awe of this stunning, obviously wealthy young woman, yet he feels sorry for her because he finds out that she came from the funeral of the sister who left her with a kid and who knows that no amount of money in the world can buy him happiness.

And Morgana, well, she felt SOMETHING. This young man, despite being homeless, was compassionate, amusing and friendly, and she could tell that he cared a lot for the dogs he looked after, and, by the way he talked about them, he would do anything for them.

Uncharacteristically, she found herself telling him everything about what had happened in the month prior to their meeting, despite being known as a women never to show her emotions outwardly; this was something she learnt to do when her mother died, a skill she had since exercised till it became normal for her to do so. But this man, this...Merlin, he somehow made her want to tell him her whole life story, even though he didn't share a single word of his own. However, she felt she knew that he could be trusted, a trait that made her seem to become a bit like her old self had been, before all this had happened.

She could also tell that, given a good clean and a bit of a shave, Merlin was HOT.

No, she did not just think that. She had just been to her sisters FUNERAL. She was meant to be grieving, not eyeing someone up.

She shook herself out of the thoughts running through her mind and smiled tentatively at Merlin. He beamed back at her, a gorgeous smile that lit up his face and make his eyes crinkle and shine.

"Well, it was very nice to meet you" she said, trying to avoid the funny feeling in her stomach when the smile suddenly faltered. "Uhm, ok you too," he stuttered back, obviously forcing the smile to stay on his face, "Goodbye Mordred, Goodbye Morgana".

"Come on Mordred; let's leave Merlin and his dogs in peace" she calls back to him, already walking away so she doesn't have to look at the disappointed look in the man's eyes. But she has to turn around again when Mordred doesn't appear at her side.

He is still sitting with the white dog, but, like Merlin's, the smile that had started to grow on his tired little face had dropped back into the emotionless mask he had worn since arriving to his aunt's house a month ago. "Mordred, now", she says, her voice firm. His head slowly looks up, his eyes brimming with tears, before looking back at the dog and staring at her.

He is still staring at Aithusa when what happens next turns their lives around. Again.

"...Please?"


	5. Chapter 5

_"...Please?"..._

Morgana's mouth opened to speak, but she found she couldn't form a syllable. She found herself wiping her eyes, which had refused to moisten since her nephew had entered her life, free from the single tear that dared to escape onto her pale cheek.

Utter relief flooded through her now she knew he could be ok, and the hope that she before had refused to feel now burst out. She knelt down slowly beside Mordred, hesitantly putting a gentle hand onto his shoulder to get him to look at her and understand that he was ok now, and so was she.

But the boy wouldn't turn, not wanting to take his eyes of the dog in case it went away just like everything else in his life. A little sigh escaped from the woman's lips, she was that close, but, not wanting to startle the boy, instead of turning him she moved herself to the other side of the dog and lowered herself onto the pebbly ground, not caring about the damage it could do to her expensive outfit. She uses a finger to lift the boys chin, getting his eyes to lock with hers as he murmurs the same little word, again and again, "please please please".

Each word now began to hurt, a knife in a wound that _she_ was creating, the only need for it being the pain _she_ was causing him by trying to take the dog away.

Merlin, who before stood at the side lines, understanding this moment's significance but deciding not to react, now stepped forward into the scene and, almost harshly rustled aunt and nephew out of their trance. Then, with a slight pause, he stood by Mordred and ruffled his hair a little, and spoke.

"Kid, don't worry, please. Don't be sad, I...I want you to be happy. Just...just t...take her ok? If you don't wanna leave her, just take her with you."

Morgana and Mordred both glanced up at the man who had now sculpted an emotionless face where that grin had once been- he had learnt before, to hide emotions, and could do so without much effort. But his lithe, spindly hands gave away a lot, and right now they were shaking uncontrollably as he massaged Aithusa's fur, his had now off of Mordred's head. He looked at the two people. The little boys face was filled with joy, but on the face of the women apprehension was evident.

Merlin, who was still filled with doubt at the idiotic decision his heart had seemed to make for him in that split second he had seen the realisation of hurting her nephew dawn on Morgana's face, knew that, despite making a rash decision, he had made the right one.

He knew that when that mask of sorrow that had once been covering Mordred's face was thrown off to reveal that angels smile underneath, but that couldn't stop Merlin from panicking about leaving Aithusa. The dogs hadn't properly left his side since he'd found them, and now he was never going to see one of them again...he felt his breathing hitch, and turned away from the pair who were staring up at him like some sort of guardian angel or saint.

When fully facing the other way he closed his eyes, trying to take deep, shuddering breaths to stop himself sobbing, at least while he wasn't alone, when he noticed 2 weights pressed up against his knees, which had been beginning to buckle, and found himself once more being saved by his 2 friends, his _only_ friends, one of which had left the side of the boy she would now be going with, which made him want to cry even more.

"...Merlin?" a hesitant voice from behind him asked, "...are you sure?"

Merlin nodded.

He ran his fingers through Aithusa's fur one last time, willing himself to whisper to her "don't worry, 'thuse, you've already saved me. Now go save them." The two dogs and the man all stared at each other one last time, before the dog slipped quietly away.

A card was then pushed into Merlin's hand. "_If you need me_"-Morgana, and business details.

Then Merlin heard heels clicking softly away, and the sound of paws, a sound that he had become accustomed to, went with them.

He couldn't conceal the sobs any more, and let them take over his soul as the lone dog by his side howled into the empty sky.


	6. Chapter 6

Merlin woke from his exhaustion induced slumber several hours later. He had cried himself dry shortly after Morgana, Mordred, and Aithusa had left, only to be drenched once again by the heavy storm clouds that seemed to take over his mourning when the man appeared to have stopped, drenching Merlin and Kilgarrah who had to run for cover under the bike shelter where they had stayed the previous night. Then Merlin slept, and Kilgarrah forgot his own sorrows in order to keep watch over his master who needed him once more.

Merlin looked down at the dog at his side, who was curled up in the same position as he had been several hours ago before Merlin had slept, his eyes straining to be open after keeping an eye on him the entire night. The man felt a rush of affection for the dog that had shown his loyalty for what now seemed like the thousandth time, and massaged the red fur at the top of Kilgarrah's head to let the dog know he had done well and could now sleep.

* * *

On the other side of town, an entanglement of arms and legs, clothes and fur were sprawled across a king side bed in the dawn light that streamed through a chink through the curtains that had failed to be closed properly. Morgana opened her eyes, before forcing herself to blink hard several times in order to check that what she saw wasn't just part of a dream.

She opened her eyes.

This was reality.

She was used to waking up alone, but now she seemed to have a child lying across her lap and a mess of fur atop her feet. Mordred's arms had snaked around Aithusa, and the three of them were on top of the covers in the centre of her bed. A yelp of surprise was replaced with a glowing smile when Mordred's head snuggled contentedly into her armpit- this was what she had longed for for weeks, for her nephew to become a little boy once more.

All it took was this dog, this chance meeting, that poor man to make it all right, yet she sensed that it wasn't _all_ right. Regardless of Merlin turning away, she still had seen that frantic look in his eyes that told her that he wanted to just take the dog, take them both and run as far as he could so they could stay together.

But he hadn't. The man who only had two things in the entire world had given away half of what was his without question to the women who seemed to have everything she could ever want. All because of Mordred. Morgana was so grateful to the stranger who had made things right for the child after all the injustice he'd fought, after just one word. Who knew the word "please" had so much power, so much emotion, so much hope.

Morgana knew she needed to see him again, to thank him, to see how he was coping, as soon as she had the courage to do so. It wasn't as if he scared her, oh no, she was beginning to become a bit infatuated by him, but what she was scared of was his rejection, him turning away from her, or even worse, taking Aithusa away from Mordred. Even after knowing him for such a short time, she knew he wouldn't so that, yet after not feeling this sort of happiness for so long, she couldn't help but let this niggling feeling take over her better judgement and she decided she would wait a while being going to find him.

Morgana glanced at the clock and realised that her father would be arriving soon; she had had this meeting planned for weeks, as Uther was a very busy man and that meant that he had to have his whole life made up for him in the pocket diary he carried everywhere with him and the smartphone that was his life. Sighing, she forced herself to wriggle out from under the heap that was her nephew and Aithusa and got ready for her father's arrival.

* * *

Mordred subconsciously felt his head being gently lowered level with the rest of his body and woke from his peaceful sleep. The first thing he noticed was the furry blanket that, upon seeing him start to sit up, had jumped up from where she too had been sleeping and nuzzle her head against Mordred's chest. The boy let a small laugh escape his lips- the first in a long time.

He couldn't explain it, but somehow this dog meant something, she was significant to him and would help him in a way no psychiatrist ever could. He had seen enough of them, heard enough of their rambling, and in the end they were all the same. Mordred wasn't stupid; he knew what was going on, despite being only 8 years old, he just didn't want to know. He couldn't escape from the knowledge that his mother was dead and it was all his fault she died.

Despite what anyone said, Mordred knew that the only reason his mother had died was because he made her depressed, and that made the boy want to stay away from other people just in case he hurt them too. And in the most case, he got what he wanted. People tend to stay away from the strange child who is too quiet, too serious, too much. He still thought the only reason Morgana stayed with him was because she had to. But Aithusa has seen past his façade and still wanted to be near him, and that made Mordred happy.

Mordred smiled and drifted back into sleep once more, his hand clutching the dogs fur like he was hanging on a ledge and he couldn't let go or else he'd fall.


	7. Chapter 7

_Ding Dong._ Uther's presence was announced with a bell.

Morgana seemed to try and collect herself, taking a few deep, steady breaths; she hadn't seen her father in a long time, and the last time they had spoken on the phone she had hung up on him after he insulted Mordred one too many times with _'her best interests at heart'_. But she knew that this wouldn't be an issue anymore, at least not for him-it wasn't that Uther was a forgiving soul, he was just a rather arrogant one who tended to forget things that could be seem as a negative strike against his character.

When she had sufficiently steadied herself, she walked up to the door, plastered a smile to her carefully made up face and let Uther into her life once again.

"Morgana." Despite his flaws, the way in which he said her name left people in no doubt that he loved his daughter dearly. He stepped into the apartment and closed the door behind him. "How lovely it is to see you again."

A few minutes later saw the father and daughter sitting in the living room sipping at cups of tea and making polite conversation that helped both parties avoid mentioning the little boy still asleep in Morgana's room. They talked about the weather, the news, and work, though only on the progress of Uther's company as Morgana was yet to return to work after compassionate leave. The talked for a good hour, meaningless sentences strung together to create a sense of civility, until Mordred made his entrance.

* * *

Mordred and Uther had never met, names but no faces, at least in the case of Mordred- Uther demanded to see all files relating to the boy upon hearing that Morgana was to be his new guardian. Uther had heard that the boy was silent, and that his newfound introverted manner caused upset to his daughter. But the boy that Uther saw running into the kitchen seemed lively, and he was _smiling_. It definitely was the same boy, though.

But then, an answer to a previous thought was given, and Uther forgot all about the boy.

Uther had been puzzled as to what had been bothering him when he entered the apartment.

Then _that thing_ was announced. The funny smell he was sure he'd sensed when he first stepped inside. It was a _dog. _

_A mongrel's probably a better word, _Uther thought. He had never been fond of dogs or of animals in general. He had always seen them as the things that demanded way too much attention and were the cause of needing new suits all the time. But this one, _well_, he thought_, let's just say it has a...interesting aroma. _Then he realised something...

Aithusa, sensing that she was being stared at, looked up at the man she had not seen before...but wait, she had seen him before. The man's face turned stony, and in that moment she was sure that he remembered seeing her before, too. "You..."

* * *

Uther had been, not long before he had become wealthy, involved in the business of construction. He still was, but now on a much larger, much more profitable scale.

There had been one particular building, he remembered, that he was going to destroy, in order to be able to start construction work there. But there had been a bit of an animal problem on the site that prevented them from starting the work until the creatures had been dealt with. Uther would have carried on with the work, but apparently there was some sort of moral issue that prevented him from doing so.

So he waited, patiently, or at least as patiently as he could, until someone came to take them away. But eventually he got tired of waiting, and decided to take matters in his own hands. He called some of his co-workers and asked them to come over and help him. The brought along nets and started to try and capture the dogs and get them off site.

Some of the dogs gave in, but others put up a fight. Especially a red and a white one. Uther went after these two personally, hunting them down, and managed to corner them. He swiped the net at the larger one, thinking he was more aggressive, until the other attacked his hand, and in this moment of pure pain did Uther let them go.

* * *

He still had that scar, and glanced at it quickly before his face began to turn purple and his breathing hitched. "WHAT IS THAT DOING HERE! Uther bellowed, this sudden change in demeanour causing the little boy to seem unhappy once more, and his hand slipped into Morgana's.

The dog noticed this and stood in front of Mordred, placing herself as a shield between the angry man and the child, as Merlin had told her to look after him, and she had to always do what Merlin said. A growl was emitted from her throat, and her fur rose slightly, ears flattening as she did all she could to protect the scared child.

"FATHER!" Morgana shouted at him "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING! You've known that Mordred would be here, and the dog makes him happy, so therefore she makes me happy, and if you have a problem with that, you should leave."

Uther's face seemed to become paler again. "But Morgana that dog..."

"_That dog_ has a name, father, her name is Aithusa. Now you've upset me, you've upset the dog, and most importantly, you've upset Mordred. And that is enough to send you walking out that door _right now_.

Uther glared at it one more time, before picking up his suitcase and storming out of the flat, slamming the door behind him.

Mordred's hand loosened in Morgana's, and she turned back towards the boy who was slightly behind her and Aithusa who was by her side. "Good girl", Morgana said, stroking the dog behind her ear absently. "Now, who's ready for a bit of breakfast, I fancy some pancakes, don't you?"

This would be the first time both would have eaten properly and together for weeks.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for the long wait for this chapter, my computers been funny and I've been stressed out recently so my brain has been a bit of a jumbled up place. Hopefully now I can finish this soon, as I'm a bit tired of this story and the ideas aren't exactly bursting into my mind, plus it just isn't THAT interesting any more. THANK YOU so much for sticking with it though, and putting up with the long waits- I love you ALL xxx**

* * *

Two weeks later found Morgana and Mordred in the same position as before that fateful meeting with Uther, huddled up under the warmth of the duvet in a tangled heap on limbs and fur. The last two weeks had been peaceful, a chance to finally connect with her nephew and help him through the final stages of grief, and he was doing exactly the same for her. And they owed this new found relationship development to one little white dog that had turned their lives around.

* * *

Merlin sat underneath the tree, Kilgarrah sitting next to him, ever the faithful companion, eyes closed, just trying to relax whilst the weather was being good to him. For most, it would be unwise to be off your guard whilst in an area like that, but Merlin had Kilgarrah to watch out for him, although without Aithusa Kilgarrah had a much harder job.

Merlin also tried to relax, to clear his head and properly rest himself, but he found his mind wandering to what had been distracting him for days now, to raven hair and pale skin, red lips and big eyes, and then his head became full of Morgana and he found that clear-headedness was impossible once more.

* * *

Morgana, having woken up a little while earlier, was just lying still in the bed that now seemed to have two new permanent occupiers, thinking about how much difference 14 days could make. Despite this, however, on Monday her compassionate leave ended and she was needed back at work. But today was Saturday, and she planned on finally going back to the start, on finding Merlin again with the ability, finally, to convey her gratitude for what he had done for her little dysfunctional family. She had been planning on seeing him earlier, but she had been scared. Not of the man, but of what seeing him could do. He could have changed his mind, decided that he'd made a mistake and he wanted Aithusa back. And that made her think of Mordred. If Merlin took Aithusa back, what would that do to him? Her nephew was only starting to properly get rid of the grief and confusion thrust upon him at the time of his mother's death, and she never wanted to see what would happen if he was put through that again.

'_Stop worrying' _she berated herself '_and grow a pair. He gave you more life; he gave Mordred back _his_ life, it's the least you owe him. And besides, don't you want to go and see him anyway...' _Finalizing her thoughts and deciding on a conclusion, she extracted herself from the bed and roused its inhabitants, before going to get ready to go and see the man who changed her life once more.

* * *

Merlin was cornered, Kilgarrah still faithful by his side having just been roused by the commotion, despite the looming presence of the larger man that threatened him. He had stayed in the area where he'd met Morgana for the past two weeks in the hope that she'd come back to see him, bring Aithusa to come say hello, just walk past in the park again like the fate that caused them to meet in the first place.

However, this bloke had other ideas.

It was the same man that Merlin had met before, the one with the Mastiff, and he seemed set on domineering the place that Merlin had decided would be his temporary home and Merlin, the stubborn idiot that he knew he really was, decided he was fed up of being pushed around like this and decided to stand up for himself.

_Wrong_ _time_ _for_ _that_, _Dollop_-_head_ was the last thought in his head before he lost consciousness.


End file.
